 Last Thursday, Google announced in its Desktop Blog the launch of its new Media Server. The application, tailored for Windows, “aims to bridge the gap between Google and your TV,” as the blog states. The only tools required are a PC stocked with Google Desktop and a Playstation game console or other DVD-playing device which is UPnP-enabled. The blog indicates that Google Media Server will allow users to accomplish the following: - “Access videos, music, and photos stored on your PC”
- “View Picasa Web Albums”
- “Play your favorite YouTube videos”
On Monday, Greg Sterling posted with SearchEngineLand.com about some other TV-related developments bubbling over at Google. I covered another of Mr. Sterling’s stories last week about Microsoft looking to stream ads with Navic, an advertising business that specializes in online and TV ad campaigns. It looks as if Google is attempting to propel this mission with its own advertisement platform, AdSense. Allegedly, the search company behemoth is interested in mastering the art of “[transferring] content from TV to PC and vice versa.” Sterling contends that we can “expect a continuing push into TV ad innovation and distribution from Google and Microsoft” alike. Recently, Google launched a deal with the creator of “Family Guy,” Seth MacFarlane. The deal, as the NY Times reported, would allow Google to stream ads to a plethora of websites which are considered “gathering spots” for Family Guy and MacFarlane fans. Three different types of advertising methods can be used for the “Cavalcade” video clips which will be embedded on these websites. - a short, generic “brought to you by” message can be shown before the video begins
- a “preroll” ad can roll a short sponsored commercial before getting to the video begins (similar to what many news websites do now when hosting a video of cover story footage)
- a fixed banner can be placed at the bottom of the video screen displaying sponsor information
Sterling pointed out that these developments are likely to aggregate a two-sided response from critics: some may view them as “a creative extension of Video for AdSense and related experiments” while others may fear the expansion of Google’s already super-power online status as it becomes a sort of “studio or TV network.” It certainly seems as if the fruits of the past years’ technological developments are headed straight to the big screen. Whether critics, consumers, or companies are ready for it or not, we might have to take a step back and see how popular this TV-Internet spawn of advertising and content viewing becomes. |
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